Press Release

New Census Report Shows Families Still Suffering

New Census Report Shows Families Still SufferingEconomic Recovery is not Reaching Working Americans

(Washington, D.C.) - The U.S. Census Bureau has recently determined that by a number of different measures, American families remain worse off after years of "economic recovery" than they were before the recession began. The most recent recession ended in 2009, but according to census data, the number of American households with at least one unemployed parent increased by approximately one-third between 2005 and 2011. In some states, the problem has grown dramatically - including by as much as 148 percent in Nevada and 93 percent in Florida. Over the same six-year time period, there has been a significant increase in the percentage of families who rent rather than own their residences. According to the data, the number of householders with minor children who owned their homes fell by 15 percent between 2005 and 2011.

The official BLS unemployment report for August 2013 comes out tomorrow, but Gallup's unofficial survey released today shows an increase from 7.8 percent in July to 8.7 percent in the month that just concluded. Gallup shows the unemployment rate increasing by .6 percent over the last year.

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative released the following statement:

"The White House claims that the United States is in an economic recovery that has lasted for several years now. If so, millions of Americans don't know it. Far too many are living paycheck to paycheck, paying higher taxes, and now are being forced to buy more expensive health insurance - whether they can afford it or not.

This is morally wrong. Hard-working Americans deserve a new approach to economic growth - one led by private sector entrepreneurs and job creators. The President should lead on reining in burdensome government mandates that leave businesses afraid to hire, or that even force them to lay off workers. The massive increase in government spending in recent years has not translated into real economic growth. It's time to try a new approach."